Dr. CHIMEX @chijesike - Twitter Profile

29 days ago

Almost 10 years ago, I accosted the Vice Chancellor of my university after a public event. He was about to step into his car, surrounded by security, staff, and a large entourage. I somehow pushed through that crowd until I got in front of him. “My name is Amaka. I graduated as the Overall Best Student out of over 20,000. I submitted a job application over eight months ago, but I haven’t heard back. I really want to teach at this university and would love to be given an opportunity.” I said everything in one breath…panting. He looked at me like I had lost my mind. However, less than a two weeks later, I received a job offer letter to join the University. That one awkward conversation changed my life forever. I spent the next three years working full time at the University while completing my master’s degree and then received a fully funded PhD scholarship to the United States. Looking back, everything changed because I was willing to put myself in that uncomfortable situation & risked being yanked off by his security. Here’s what I learned that I want you to remember. If you’re like me and you come from a humble background, you just cannot afford to accept the status quo. Sometimes, you have to be willing to do things that would make people think you’re a little crazy. You have to be willing to take chances others won’t. But boldness alone is not enough. You MUST also be prepared. When my small window of opportunity came, I had something to stand on. “I graduated as the Overall Best Student.” That was my entire pitch. In Nigeria, where connections, background, and many other factors often influence opportunities, graduating as the Overall Best gave the Vice Chancellor a reason to stop and listen to a humble student with zero connections. Preparation gave credibility to my boldness. So keep building your skills. Keep pursuing excellence. Then, when your moment arrives, don’t hesitate. The conversation that would change your life may only last 30 seconds. Retweet if this reminds you to take the chance that you might have been avoiding.

Amakaifeduba_'s tweet photo. Almost 10 years ago, I accosted the Vice Chancellor of my university after a public event.

He was about to step into his car, surrounded by security, staff, and a large entourage.

I somehow pushed through that crowd until I got in front of him.

“My name is Amaka. I graduated as the Overall Best Student out of over 20,000. I submitted a job application over eight months ago, but I haven’t heard back. I really want to teach at this university and would love to be given an opportunity.”

I said everything in one breath…panting.

He looked at me like I had lost my mind.

However, less than a two weeks later, I received a job offer letter to join the University.

That one awkward conversation changed my life forever.

I spent the next three years working full time at the University while completing my master’s degree and then received a fully funded PhD scholarship to the United States.

Looking back, everything changed because I was willing to put myself in that uncomfortable situation & risked being yanked off by his security.

Here’s what I learned that I want you to remember.

If you’re like me and you come from a humble background, you just cannot afford to accept the status quo.

Sometimes, you have to be willing to do things that would make people think you’re a little crazy.

You have to be willing to take chances others won’t.

But boldness alone is not enough.

You MUST also be prepared.

When my small window of opportunity came, I had something to stand on.

“I graduated as the Overall Best Student.”

That was my entire pitch.

In Nigeria, where connections, background, and many other factors often influence opportunities, graduating as the Overall Best gave the Vice Chancellor a reason to stop and listen to a humble student with zero connections.

Preparation gave credibility to my boldness.

So keep building your skills. Keep pursuing excellence.

Then, when your moment arrives, don’t hesitate.

The conversation that would change your life may only last 30 seconds.

Retweet if this reminds you to take the chance that you might have been avoiding.

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Dr. CHIMEX

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